AstraZeneca today announced proposals to close its Environmental Laboratory in Brixham, Devon, UK. The laboratory, which directly employs 71 staff, provides specialist services to assess the impact of pharmaceuticals and chemicals used by a range of industries on the environment.

The proposal to close the site has been made as the work undertaken at the laboratory is outside the organisation's strategic focus of developing innovative new medicines. Under the proposals, the services currently provided on the site will be sourced from third parties. AstraZeneca remains fully mitted to sustaining the highest environmental standards.

Tony Broughton, Head of UK Operations at AstraZeneca said: "We realise that this is difficult news for our employees at Brixham and our priority is to support them over the ing months. We also acknowledge the excellent work carried out by our people at the laboratory over its history. However, operating an environmental laboratory for the benefit of AstraZeneca and customers across a range of industries is not a core part of our strategy, therefore after serious consideration we propose to close the site. We are exploring a range of options for the future of the site and, if possible, would like to see the laboratory remain in use for scientific purposes."

Subject to consultation and planning for a responsible closure, AstraZeneca anticipates business operations at the laboratory will cease by the end of March 2014.

About the Brixham Environmental Laboratory

The Brixham Environmental Laboratory provides environmental support to the pharmaceutical and other industries, including testing and risk assessments to understand the impacts of Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (API), manufacturing intermediates, processes and effluents on the environment to ensure processes meet regulatory approval.

About AstraZeneca

AstraZeneca is a global, innovation-driven biopharmaceutical business that focuses on the discovery, development and mercialisation of prescription medicines, primarily for the treatment of cardiovascular, metabolic, respiratory, inflammation, autoimmune, oncology, infection and neuroscience diseases. AstraZeneca operates in over 100 countries and its innovative medicines are used by millions of patients worldwide. For more information please visit: www.astrazeneca.